WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, chaired by Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE), has scheduled a hearing entitled “Takata Airbag Ruptures and Recalls" for Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
The hearing will examine the management and response by industry and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the latest auto safety recalls regarding defective airbags made by the auto supplier Takata. Beginning in 2008, there have been a growing number of auto recalls to address faulty air bag inflators manufactured by Takata due to a risk air bags could improperly rupture causing serious injuries or even death. NHTSA Acting Administrator David Friedman, Takata’s Senior Vice President of Global Quality Assurance Hiroshi Shimizu, as well as representatives from Toyota, BMW, and Honda have been invited to testify. Additional witnesses may be announced.
Terry said, “Americans are weary of ever-expanding safety recalls and we need to know that there is an adequate plan in place to address safety risks. The manufacturers, suppliers, and regulators all bear responsibility in keeping drivers and their families safe. Our first priority is ensuring that all defective vehicles are fixed as soon as possible, but we must also review the actions leading up to and surrounding the recalls to understand how we got into this mess and how to avoid similar problems in the future."
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) said, “Airbags were intended to improve safety, but now we are in a situation where this life-saving tool is actually itself the subject of a safety recall. Drivers are becoming increasingly anxious as the recalls are expanded yet they are being told they can’t get their vehicles fixed. It is clear something must be done to restore the public’s trust and ensure safety on the roads."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
See Also
* Upton & Burgess Comment on NHTSA Takata Announcement
